You were... / BALLAD information and covers [VI]

[Earth_maiden]

From the preview it really does sound beautiful. I can't wait to BALLAD and see how different/similiar they are.

[AmyRoseM]

Originally Posted by FuNsTyLe

It sounds quite alot like No Way To Say or Days.... And it sounds a bit repetitive and not very innovative. Not as good as her unique ballads, those with that timeless distinctive sound and arrangement. The ones that are just a tad more up-beat... Like M, Rainbow, HEAVEN... Those were really good.
This is... been heard before. Like she has her Fairyland/Glitter-type of songs, the Rule/1LOVE-type of songs, and the No Way To Say/Together When-type of ballads. You were is just another one in that category.


Anyways, I sound s bit harsh maybe. And this is just a LQ-clip, so I will probably change my opinions a little bit when a better quailty one is out. I kind of like the Jewel/Curtain Call-type of ballads anyway, that aren't so dramatic sounding My Heart Will Go On-ish...
And there's still two more songs to look forward to! Yay

I pretty much agree with all of this! I'm sure I'll like it a bit more when I hear it in a bit better quality. I DO like it, but I agree its in the category you mentioned and not really innovative.

[polka-dot-jewel]

Wow, this song is SO GOOD! The first verse reminds me a bit of "Curtain call", and the second reminds me a mixture of "Days" and "Together When..." I really love her voice in the choruses. Even with the rip, she sounds beautiful <3 :')

[royle]

i am not sure if i really like how the way she screams in the song... o.0

it was... really hard...

[Ayumi_lover]

really good vocals!! hope she will perform it on FNS

[Aderianu]

such strong chorus! It makes me cry

[ayumisrael]

You were... sounds brilliant. Really pretty!

The guitar bridge and the part afterwards sound amazing.
I really can't wait. *_*

[~angel*ayumi~]

I like it^^
And as it´s out now there is a chance she will sing it at FNS

[Mirai Noah]

Ooo, I really like the chorus! Can't wait to hear it in HQ

[Delirium-Zer0]

It's decent, about what I expected. There are some really nice melodic surprises in the short term (you think the melody's gonna be predictable, but nope! it goes up instead of down! hah! XD), but since the melody repeats within the chorus it does get kinda repetitive. (Despite the repetition the song is not at all catchy. I listened to another song after You were... and now I can't remember what You were... sounds like.)

It's not amazing or groundbreaking, it's a Days/Together When.../fated type of ballad, but it's definitely nice. It's enjoyable.

I do miss when Ayu experimented with ballads more and we got sounds like "Far away," "HANABI," "Heartplace," etc... I feel like even "No way to say" was more interesting & slightly more experimental than this. Not that this is bad, she just needs to branch out more, cuz when she does it's always at least interesting if not spectacular.

[ren'ai]

Ok. I'm in love with You Were...

Thank you Ayu for going back to releasing your amazing ballads.

[CeReSu]

You were is a classic song...nothing special, made in hal as usual, same effect as usual.
Chorus sounds like very great fortunately!
I'm waiting for a HQ version to give a better opinion!

[labello]

Thanks for recording

From what I can hear You were... sounds really nice her voice seems strong and just great ^o^
I like the chorus and actually everything else as well
Hopefully the HQ version is even better and won't change my mind~

[ハート〜ブレーカ♥]

beautiful song ♥

[dreamland2.0]

hmmm sounds okay so far, can't really tell with the preview quality. Sounds better than Days but not as good as Together When...
I hope BALLAD will be a darker ballad. I will judge it more when I hear it in better quality. I do love the guitars in it though!

[relmy]

Wow, I like it, even if it's not that original. I can't really judge until I hear the full song, I like it more than Days, but not as much as Together When... or momentum/JEWEL.

It just feels like I've heard this song before, but hey, it's nice, so I won't complain. I hope BALLAD is ground breaking though!

[ayumi.hamasaki]

I like you were

it is such a beautiful ballad

I can't wait to get my singles

[noidea]

by now I have it on repeat...the bridge is so beautiful...all the second half of the song is amazing...

this will be the best damn ballad she did since 2007, maybe longer, hell, this might even be her best...

[labello]

Originally Posted by noidea

by now I have it on repeat...the bridge is so beautiful...all the second half of the song is amazing...

I was thinking the same It is really beautiful (even if it might not be original...)
After the first chorus the whole "song" is so great!!! I am really looking forward to this single~
(I want my copy, now~)

[kuri♥ayu]

thank you so much for the upload!